Spindle bearing



April 28, 1931. ,1. A. IV:HLLER 0 SPINDLE BEARING Filed may 25. 1927Inventor. Joseph A. Miller At tvs Patented Apr. 28, 1931 UNITED s" ATESPATENT JOSEPH A. MILLER, 0F HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO DRAPERCOR- PORAI'ION, OF HOPEIMLLE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORJEOR-AT'ION OF MAINESPINDLE Application filed May 25,

This invention relates to improvements in self-adjusting spindle bearingconstructions and one of the objects thereof is to provide a spindlebearing of relatively simple construction which will avoid the pumpingof oil over the top of the bolster casing.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bolster with arelatively narrow upper bearing so located with respect to the length ofthe bolster that the oil within the bolster casing will eXert acushioning efiect upon the bolster both above and below the bearing andwithout the likelihood of splashing oil over the top of the bolstercasing.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter in which the upper bearing is provided with recesses to permitthe free circulation of the oil within the bolster casing while greatlyreducing or avoiding the pumping action of the vibrating bolster.

Other objects and features of the invention will more fully appear fromthe following de scription and the accompanying drawings and will beparticularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view, mainly in vertical section, of a bolster casing andbolster embodying the present invention with the spindle mounted in thebolster;

Fig. 2 is a detailtransverse sectional view on line 22 Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail transverse sectional view on line 33 Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a detail transverse sectional view on line H Fig. 1; and,

Fig. 5 is a detail transverse sectional view on line 55 Fig. 1.

The spindle bearing illustrated in the accompanying drawings comprisesthe usual bolster casing 1 having a head flange 2 adapted to be seatedupon the spindle rail with a screw threaded portion 3 to receive a nutby which the bolster casing may be clamped to the spindle rail. The headflange 2 is provided with a lateral upwardly extending arm or stand 4providing an oil reservoir and having a duct 5 leading to the chamber ofthe bolster casing. The reservoir 4 is provided BEARING 1927. Serial No.194,202.

with a hinged cover 6 having a projection 7 forming a detent extendingover the whorl of the spindle and locking the same against accidentaldisplacement. The bolster casing is provided with a longitudinally eX-tending bore 8 to receive the bolster and the spindle which is mountedtherein.

The bolster 9 is of cylindrical form and is provided near its lower endwith a narrow enlarged portion forming a lower bearing 10 of slightlyless diameter than the bore of the bolster casing and is also providedwith an upper enlarged bearing of narrow width which is located belowthe position of the whorl of the spindle and at a considerable distancefrom the upper end of the bolster and bolster casing and is of slightlyless diameter than the diameter of the bore of the bolster casing.lVhile the upper hearing may be a single enlargement, it desirably isconstructed in two narrow sections 11 and 12 which are spaced apart ashort distance to provioe an oil chamber 13 in the periphery of thebolster casing. The bearing section 11 is provided with a plurality ofgrooves-14 which extend from the periphery of the bearing to at leastthe diameter of the body of the bolster. The other upper bearing section12 likewise is provided with grooves 15 which, for convenience inconstruction, may be in alinement with the grooves let so that both setsof grooves may be millenat the same time. By thus locating the upperbearing for the bolster at a considerable distance below the upper endof the bolster and forming the upper bearing in sections spaced apart,the lateral vibration of the upper end of the bolster caused by anunbalanced bobbin is limited, for the reason that the natural vibrationof the bolster takes place about a neutral-zone which is approximatelywithin the range of the lower section 12 or" the upper bearing, and thelatter acts, in effect, as a fulcrum for the vibrating spindle. Theupper section 11, by engaging the inner wall of the bolster casing, willtherefore limit the amplitude of swinging movement wall of the bolstercasing and thereby throw oil, as in usual previous constructions.

The body of the bolster above the bearing 11 is of considerably smallerdiameter than the diameter of the bearing 11 which is but slightly lessthan the diameter of the bore. The clearance space 16 thus formed withinthe bolster casing above the bearing member 11 is relatively long and ofconsiderable capacity sutlicient to retain the oil delivered to it bythe pumping action of the vibrating bolster and as the area of thebearing section 11 relatively small as compared with the internal areaof the bolster casing above the bearing section 11, the pumpii'igetl'ect, caused by the lateral movement of the upper end of the bolsteras limited by the bearing section 11, is relatively small andinsutlicient to fill the clearance space 16 and force the oil over thetop of the bolster casing. This pumping action also decreased by reasonof the longitudinal grooves 14 or the bearing. Likewise the chamber 13,intermediate of the upper and lower sections 11 and 12 of the upperbearing forms, in effect, a trap, which prevents the bearing section 12from producing an effective pun ping action upon the oil into the upperportion of the bolster casing and this is particularly true where, as inthe present construction, vertical grooves 15 are also provided in thebearing section 12 to permit the oil to flow down into the lower portionof the bolster casing.

Desirably tne bearing sections 11 and 12 are so located upon the bolsterthat the chamber 13, intermediate or" such bearing sections,communicates with the duct 5 leading from the reservoir to the bolstercasing so that the fresh oil, which is introduced into the reservoir,will enter beneath the bearing section 11 and above the bearing section12 and the circulation of the oil from the reservoir will be more orless restricted by the bearing sections 11 and 12. Furthermore by thisconstruction the reservoir, and the duct leading therefrom to thecasing, provides a relief for oil which may be more or less ent-rappedbetween the bearing sections 11 and 12.

Desirably the portion 17 of the bolster below the bearing 12 is ofsomewhat smaller diameter than the upper portion of the bolster casing,thereby providing an enlarged oil chamber 18 between the bearing section12 and the lower bearing 10. The lower end 19 of the bolster desirablyis still further reduced in diameter and is internally screw threaded toreceive the screw threaded end 20 of a post 21 of the step bearing. Thescrew threaded portion 20 of the step bearing desirably is connected tothe bolster by threads having sutlicient clearance to permit a limitedvibration of the lower end of the bolster. This screw threadedconnection also provides an adjustment by means of which the stepbearing for the lower end of the spindle blade may be adjustedvertically to compensate for the wear of the spindle bearing, or for theaccumulation of dirt in the lower end on": the spindle bearing. The post21 of the step for the spindle blade desirably is secured rigidly at itslower end in a cylindrical base 22 having a vertical slot 23 to receivea pin 24 seated in the lower end portion of the bolster casing and whichacts to prevent rotation of the base 22. A helical spring 25, whichsurrounds the post 21 and is provided with an offset lower end 26 whichis seated in a groove in the base 22,- and which is provided with asimilar oifset upper end 27 adapted to be seated in one of severalgrooves 28 in the lower bearing 10 of the bolster, permits a limitedyield 1g rotative movement of the bolster casing in the direction ofrotation of the spindle in addition to the usual rocl ing movement whichis permitted in step bearings of this type. Such rotative movement ofthe bolster in co-operation with the loose screw-threaded connectionbetween the step bearing and the bolster provides the usual automaticvertical adjustment to compensate for the wear or" the spindle bearingand the accumulation of dirt in the bearing for the tapered spindle.

The bolster is provided with a longitudinal tapered bearing 29 whichfits the tapered lower end 30 of the spindle blade. The spindle bladehas secured to or made integral with it a usual collar 31 having adepending portion provided with a whorl 32 which is located well belowthe upper end of the bolster casing and beneath the latch 7. The spindleblade also desirably is provided with a downwardly inclined collar 33which serves to project the oil which rises along the bearing betweenthe tapered portion of the spindle blade and its bearing into thechamber 16 in the upper portion of the bolster casing. The bolster isprovided with a plurality of apertures to permit oil to flow from thechambers of the bolster easing into the bearing between the spindleblade and the bolster. One of these apertures 34'is located near thelower bearing. Another aperture 35 desirably is located in the wall ofthe bolster between the upper and lower sections 11 and 1,2 or the upperbearing and a third aperture 36 desirably is located a short distancefrom the upper end of the bolster.

In the operation of the device the self adjustment or selr" centering ofthe spindle is readily permitted by reason of the fact that the upperbearing or bearing sections are located atsuch substantial distancebelow the upper end of the bolster that tn-e lower section 12 thereofprovides a sort of a fulcrum intermediate ot' the length of the bolsterso that the movement of the lower end of the bolster, when the spindleis running under unbalanced load, will readily permit the spindle toassume its proper position of rotation. By reason of the fact thatconsiderable clearance spaces, which are filled with oil, are locatedboth above and below the upper bearing, the oil will have anadvantageous cushioning effect upon the movement of the bolster whichwill also aid in quickly centering the spindle. The effective surface ofthe relatively narrow upper bearing sections 11 and 12, is relativelysmall so that toe pumping effect produced by the vibration of thebolster is reduced to a minimum and this effect is still further reducedwhere the bearing is made in sections, as illustrated, with theconsiderable space therebetween which communicates with the duct leadingto the reservoir. By virtue of this construction the pumping effect dueto the vibration of the bolster is practically eliminated.

The grooves 14 and 15 in the bearing sections 11 and 12 permit the oilin the clearance space above the bearing section 11 readily to flowdownwardly into the lower portion of the bolster casing. Any oil whichmay be carried up between the tapered spindle blade audits hearing willeither be discharged into the upper clearance space 16 through theaperture 36 in the bolster 9, or if carried to the top of the bolsterwill be deflected clownardlv into the clearance space 16 by the ringupon the spindle.

It will be understood that the embodiment of the invention particularlydisclosed herein is of an illustrative character and is not restrictiveand that various changes in form, construction and arrangement of partsmay be made within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. A self-adjusting spindle bearing construction comprising anoil-containing bolster casing having a cylindrical bore, a bolstertherein having a bearing for a spindle blade and provided with externalenlarged upper and lower bearings of slightly less diameter than thebore of the bolster casing, a

step hearing at the lower end of the bolster adapted to permit a limitedvibration there-- of, said upper bearing comprising sections of narrowwidth spaced apart to form a chamber therebet-ween with the lowersection of said upper bearing providing in effect a fulcrum at theneutral zone of normal vibration of the spindle, and the upper sectionthereof located such distance below the upper end of the bolster andbolster casing that the narrow width of the upper bearing relatively tothat of the chambers for the oil above said upper bearin and between theupper and lower sections thereof will avoid pumping of the Oil by thevibration of the bolster over the top of the bolster casing.

2. A self-adjusting spindle bearing construction comprising anoil-containing bolster casing having a cylindrical bore, a bolstertherein having a bearing for a spindle blade and provided with externalenlargedtion of said upper bearing providing in effect a fulcrum locatedat the neutral zone of normal vibration of the spindle, and the uppersection thereof located at such distance below the upper end of thebolster casing as to provide a sufiicient clearance spaced above theupper bearing section to prevent pumping of the oil over the top of thecasing by the vibration of the bolster, an oil reservoir, and a conduitfor conducting the oil from said reservoir into the bolster casingbetween the upper and lower sections of the upper bearing, therebyproviding a relief for the oil trapped therebetween.

3. A self-adjusting spindle bearing construction comprising anoil-containing bol ster casing having a cylindrical bore, a bolstertherein having a tapered bearing for a spin dle blade and provided withupper and lower.

bearings of slightly less diameter than that of the bore of the bolstercasing, an adjustabh step bearing for the lower end of the spindle bladecomprising a post extending into the barrel of the bolster and having aloose screw threaded connection therewith adapted to permit a limitedvibration of said bolster, a base fixedly secured to the lower end ofthe bolster casing, a helical spring surrounding said post fixedlysecured at its respective ends to said base and to said lower bearingoperable to permit a limited rotative movement of said bolster. saidupper bearing comprising sections of narrow width spaced apart to form achamber therebetween, with the lower section of said upper bearingproviding in effect a fulcrum located at the neutral zone of normalvibration of the spindle, and the upper section thereof located suchdistance below the upper end of the bolster and bolster casing that thenarrow width of the upper bearing relatively to the chambers for the oilabove said upper bearing and between the upper section and lower sectionthereof will avoid pumping of the oil by the vibration of the bolsterover the top of the bolster casing, a reservoir, a conduit leading fromthe reservoir to the chamber between the upper and lower sections of theupper bearing, and an aperture in the wall of said bolster between theupper and lower sections of the upper bearing communicating with thebearing for the spindle blade.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

JOSEPH A. MILLER.

